Wednesday, February 23, 2011 - Sometimes we need Him to spell it out for us.

    

     When was your last pity party? Occasionally we like to hang black balloons, put on our wallowing wear, curl up with our favorite comfort food, set our signature "poor me" song to repeat (mine's Eric Carmen's "All By Myself"), and feel sorry for ourselves.

    I imagine the Samaritan woman who made her trip alone to the town well in the heat of noon each day enjoyed regular pity parties (John 4). She was a W-O-M-A-N in a time when women had no rights and received no R-E-S-P-E-C-T. She'd been married five times because men could D-I-V-O-R-C-E their wives with a piece of parchment any time they felt like it. Yes, she had been unfaithful, but she was only unfaithful because not one of her husbands had understood her needs, which brings us back to our pity party theme (every party needs a theme): "Nobody understands me; Nobody really loves me." 

     Then she met Jesus Who understood her all too well (pardon the pun). As she approached the stone well she noticed a man sitting on it, another man who could treat her any way he chose while she had to take whatever he dished out to her. Her lips probably tightened as she wondered suspiciously why he sat there alone just when the town scandal came to get water. She gritted her teeth and told herself, "Just get the water and get back to the house before you get into more T-R-O-U-B-L-E." She sneaked a closer look and realized this man was a Jew. Relaxing, she thought "No worries, he won't even look my way much less make suggestive remarks." But He was no ordinary M-A-N. He asked gently for a drink of water. When the astonished woman questioned his unorthodox behavior, He  dished out Living water to satisfy what no new R-O-M-E-O could do. 

 "'Sir,' the woman said, 'You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. 

Where can you get this living water?'"

John 4:11

        Jesus revealed Himself as Messiah to this Samaritan W-O-M-A-N and transformed her into a cup of Living water for neighbors previously inclined to avoid her company. Did He quench her thirst? Look back at the well and you'll see the water jar she left in her hurry to throw off everything that had entangled her in sin or failed to satisfy her in the past (John 4:28). 

     "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,

let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, 

and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." 

Hebrews 12:1

Lord God Almighty, forgive us for loving a good pity party. Remind us that pity starts with P-I-T and that wallowing in the pit of self-pity darkens our hearts and minds to Your Goodness and to Your Power to change anyone in any situation. Lord, show us how to open ourselves for Your Living Water to cleanse and re-cleanse us. Wash Your Holiness through us and help us leave behind everything that entangles us in sin. Demonstrate what You can do through a vessel E-M-P-T-Y of everything but You. Teach us to run from the pit of self-pity into Your Arms of Grace and Strength. Occupy our minds with thoughts of praise and thanksgiving. Keep our mouths filled with up-to-date testimonies of how You keep quenching our thirst. Thrill us with Your Truth and Spirit as we read the B-I-B-L-E.

In the Name of Jesus, Liberator and Thirst-Quencher.

Inspired by Jesus Calling and My Utmost for His Highest and songs that spell words (all but "P-I-T")

photos from photobucket.com